Project Engineer

Project Engineer / Project Manager – Capital Projects

Location: Niles, Illinois

Schedule: Full-time, on-site

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced project engineer/project manager to lead several active capital-improvement projects within a food-manufacturing facility. This individual will be responsible for coordinating engineering, vendors, contractors, installation, commissioning, and project closeout while maintaining production, food-safety, budget, and schedule requirements.

The ideal candidate combines hands-on plant engineering knowledge with strong project-management skills and can independently drive projects from design review through operational turnover.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage multiple capital projects from planning and design through installation, commissioning, and closeout.
• Lead the expansion of a production system from three fillers to nine fillers.
• Manage the replacement and commissioning of a process aeration unit.
• Develop and maintain project schedules, budgets, milestones, and action-item lists.
• Coordinate equipment manufacturers, engineering firms, contractors, plant leadership, maintenance, operations, quality, and safety teams.
• Review equipment layouts, utility requirements, drawings, specifications, and installation plans.
• Manage contractor activity and ensure work is completed safely, correctly, and on schedule.
• Coordinate equipment delivery, site preparation, installation, startup, testing, and operational turnover.
• Plan project work around active production schedules and support shutdown preparation and execution.
• Identify project risks, resolve field issues, and communicate changes affecting cost or schedule.
• Facilitate project meetings and provide clear progress reporting to plant and corporate stakeholders.
• Ensure project documentation, training materials, punch-list items, and turnover packages are completed.
• Support procurement, vendor selection, quotation review, purchase orders, and change-order management.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Construction Management, or a related discipline.
• Five or more years of experience managing manufacturing capital projects.
• Experience delivering equipment installation, facility modification, or process-improvement projects in an operating plant.
• Strong contractor, vendor, budget, and schedule management